Friday, August 31, 2007

I was clearing some stuff off my computer the other day, and I came across this audition tape from back in 2004. I am auditioning for the role of "Johnny 'Drama' Chase" and Tom (Law & Order: SVU, CATS, Nantucket Summer Stock) is doing a cold read of the character of "Turtle."

Friday, August 24, 2007

As some of you may know, Dennis Miller is hosting a new game show on Game Show Network called Grand Slam. Basically, the show pits two all-star contestants from other game shows against one another in a battle of wits. Miller provides the witty, pop-culture infused commentary about the contestants and the ongoing game.

But I have the backstory here, which is that Dennis Miller almost didn't get the job, because his initial audition tape was deemed "too esoteric." I managed to get my hands on the audio portion of this tape, and I tend to disagree with that assessment, but I'll let my dear readers be the judges. Here is Dennis Miller's Grand Slam audition tape:

NOTE: DON'T TRY TO LISTEN TO THIS IN FIREFOX- USE SAFARI OR INTERNET EXPLORER (sorry!) AND THIS WILL TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO LOAD

Saturday, August 04, 2007

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Genesis 4:9

If I am not for myself, who will be? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?

Pirkei Avot 1:14

So my friend Peter sent me a really funny video today on Youtube, from a TV show on the Sci-Fi network called Scare Tactics. If you haven't seen the show already... the basic idea is that so-called "accomplices" take their friends on certain activities, like going to the tanning salon, camping trips, or get them jobs as entertainers, etc. While the accomplices are in on the jokes, the friends, of course, are not. Each episode positions the "friend" in an extremely scary situation, where their death seems imminent. Hilarity ensues. Here's my point: I am appalled by how quickly people bail on their friends. That said, if I were in the same situation, I have no idea how I would respond, so perhaps I am judging them too harshly. However, in each instance, whether it was an alien abduction, Big Foot murdering people, or an escaped gorilla, every person that was being filmed had COMPLETE disregard for the welfare of their companion. Judge for yourself, how would you respond?

Friday, August 03, 2007

Ni Hao Ma from Beijing. The first night I was here, it was torrential downpour. I cursed the weather gods at first. But then I learned that in fact the Chinese Government had MANUFACTURED the rain in order to cleanse the skies of pollution before the 2008 Olympics.